Piano-violin



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

H. F. MLLER.

PIANO VIOLIN Patented Apr. 2,1895.

WTF

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. P. MULLER.

PIANO VIOLIN Patented Apr. 2, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet s.

. H. P. MLLER.

PIANO VIOLIN UNITED STATES dPATENT OEEICE.

HENRY F. MLLER, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO CARL FRIEDRICH AUGUSTMEYER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PIANO-VIOLIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,886, dated .April2, 1895.

Application vtiled September 8, 1894. Serial No. 522,443. (No model.)Patented in Germany May 5, 1892, No. 72,889: in France November11,1892,No.225,771. andinAustria-Hungnry May 18, 1894, No. 113 and No.17,710.

T all whom, it' may concern: downwardly and thus maintain the baud bowBe it known that I, HENRY F. MLLER, a u, at normally uniform tension.subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a In order to bring the band bowd into conresident of Hamburg, in the German Empire, tact with thestrings e on the linger board, I have invented certain new and usefulImprovide a series of levers or oscillating press- 55 provements inMusical Stringed Instruments, ure barsf fulcrumed on pins or pivots mse- (tor which I have obtained patents in Gercured to a plate m thatcarries the key levers many, No. 72,889, dated May 5, 1892; in 71 saidpressure bars being guided in suitable France, No. 2:25,77LdatedNovember 11,1892, slots formed in a transverse bar m4 that is 1o and inAustria-I-Iungary, No. 113 and No. conveniently secured to theundersideof the 6o 17,710, dated May 18, 1894;) and I do herebyaforesaid plate m. The free end of the pressdeclare the following to bea full, clear, and ure barsf is Z-shaped, forming a linger that exactdescription of the invention, such as carries a roller g and projectsinto the path will enable others skilled in the art to which it of ltheendless band bow a. i5 appertains to make and use the same, refer- Thekey levers h are bell crank levers ful- 65 ence being hadtotheaccompanying drawings, cruined at lo in suitable uprights Z secured toand to letters of reference marked thereon, plate m. The short arm ofthe key levers which form a part of this specification. is slottedlongitudinally, and in the slot 7l My invention has relation to thatclass of thereof is adjustably secured a slide block n, zo stringedinstruments in whichthe sounds are connected by bolt n with one end ofan ex- 7o produced by the friction resulting from the tensible bar o,whose other end is connected pressure upon the strings of a mechanicallywith one of the arms of a centrally pivoted moved endless band bow, suchpressure being rock lever p, the other arm of which is concontrolled bysuitable key levers, as will now nected with a pressure bar, ashereinafter be fully described, reference being had to the described. 75accompanying drawings, in which- By means of the described connection ofFigure 1 is a plan view of a musical instrukey lever and centrallypivoted rock lever, ment embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an theamplitude of the movements ot said parts underside view of the mechanismcontrolling may be varied or regulated as desired, or re- 3o thepressure levers and controlled by the key quired. 8o levers. Fig. 3 is aside elevation, and Fig. 4 The bars o as shown are constructed of two isa vertical cross sectional view of the instruparts adjustablelongitudinally on each other ment, and Fig. 5 is a detail viewillustrating by means of aset screw, and the centrally piva modicationin the means for controlling oted rock levers p to which said bars areconthe operation of the band bow. nected are fulcrumed on a commonspindle q 85 In the above drawings A indicates the Iinsupported fromsuitable standards r, secured ger board which is out away at its lowerend to the plate m. to admit of the passage of the endless band I haveshown an instrument provided with bow d, arranged to travel in a zigzagpath six melody strings e, and in accordance there- 4o over suitablepulleys b b and isset in motion with I provide siX pressure barsf, andthese by a drum d keyed to a spindle d. Rotation I arrange in pairs, oneof a pair above the may be imparted to the spindle by any suitother ontheir respective fulcrum pins m, and able means, as by a treadle, asuitable grooved provide means whereby the pressure bars of wheel c, andrope or cord c being provided. apair maybe oscillated in oppositedirections In order to maintain the band bow d at a unlfrom a normalposition of rest and brought 95 form tension, the lower guide rollers bare into contact with oppositely moving portions journaled in bearingsb2, adapted to slide in of the endless band bow a to press said porslotsb3 in the framing B, said bearings betions against the strings on theouter side ing connected with the framing by suitable thereof. To thisend one half of the pressure 5o springs b4 that tend to draw thebearings bars f are directly connected with a correroo spending numberof centrally pivoted rock levers p by means ot' connecting rods s whilethe remaining pressure bars f are connected with their respectivecentrally pivoted rock levers through the medium of intermediatetwo-armed levers t and connecting rods s and s', Fig. 2, suitablesprings u being provided to return the pressure bars into their normalposition of rest when moved out of it by depressing a key lever h.

The downward movement of the finger arm of the key levers h is limitedby a bridge or stop w, Fig. l, secured to the finger board fm, whichlatter may be pivotally connected with the frame B as by pivot screws m2whereby said board m, supported at its free end on posts m3, may belifted and tilted over, thus affording ready access to the mechanism onthe under side thereof.

In lieu of the described connections 0 p s, and o p, t, s s', betweenthe key levers h and pressure bars f, the said key levers may beconnected with their respective pressure bars by means of wires, cords,or belts u2, Fig. 5, passing over suitable guide pulleys u and u', oneend of each wire, cord, or belt being secured to the adjustable block nof a key lever and the other to a pressure bar.

The described invention may be applied to almost all stringedinstruments in which a bow is used for the production of sound, and itis also applicable to such stringed instruments as the Zither, in whichthe treble strings are usually actuated by a plectrum attached to thethumb,while the bass strings are actuated by the other fingers of theright hand. In the latter case the key levers ot' the action arepreferably arranged with their front edge on a line oblique to thestrings, Fig. I, while in other cases, where the bass strings need notbe struck by the fingers of the right hand and the sounds of the treblestrings on the finger board regulated by the left hand fingers, thefront end of the key board may be parallel with the strings of theinstrument.

Although I have described a particular con` struction of finger boardaction, and a moditication of the same, I wish it to be clearlyunderstood that I do not limit the scope of my invention thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a musical instrument such as described, the combination with theviolin strings and an endless band bow adapted to travel in a zigzagpath in proximity to said strings, of a key lever, a pressure baradapted to move in a plane at right angles to the plane of motion of thebow and to press the same against an adjacent string, and means forvarying the amplitude of the movements of the pressure bar, for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a musical instrument such as described, the combination with amovable endless band bow, and a violin string on each outer sidethereof, of two pressure bars having iingers in proximity to the innersides of said band bow, two key levers, and connections between thelatter and the pressure bars adapted to move said bars in oppositedirections when said key levers are depressed, for the purpose setforth.

3. In a musical instrument such as described, the combination with amovable endless band bow and a violin string on each outer side thereof,of two pressure bars having fingers in proximity to the inner sides ofsaid band bow, said pressure bars arranged one above the other on acommon fulcrum, two key levers, and connections between the latter andthe pressure bars adapted to move said bars in opposite directions whensaid key levers are depressed.

4. In a musical instrument such as described, the combination with amovable endless band bow, a violin string on each outer side thereof,and two pressure bars f arranged one above the other on a common fulcrumand carrying rollers g proximate to the inner sides of said bow, a keylever, a centrally pivoted rock lever p connected with said key lever,and with one of the pressure bars, a second key lever, a secondcentrally pivoted rock lever p connected thereto, and an intermediatetwo-armed lever t, and connections s s connecting the said two armedlever with the other pressure bar, said devices arranged to move thepressure bars in opposite directions when the key levers are depressed,for the purpose set forth.

5. In a musical instrument such as described, the combination with a keylever having a longitudinal slot in one of its arms, a block adjustablealong said slot, and a pressure bar as f, of a centrally pivoted rocklever, a connection between said pressure bar and rock lever, and anextensible connection connecting the aforesaid block with the rocklever, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname7 in presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of August, 1894.

HENRY F. MULLER. Witnesses:

ALEXANDER SPEOHT, HARRY F. W. GRE'rHE.

IOO

